Efforts to Protect the Mental Health of Children and Teenagers in the Digital Era Are Needed, Says EU Council

Efforts to Protect the Mental Health of Children and Teenagers in the Digital Era Are Needed, Says EU Council

On 20 June 2025, the Council of the EU’s formation on Health reached an agreement and issued a common position  on better protecting the mental health of children and teenagers in the digital era.

As such, the  conclusions issued by the Council of the EU push for measures to ensure that children and adolescents can use digital tools in a safe and healthy way, without risking their mental health. These could include:

• close collaboration with key stakeholders to build a safer digital environment, particularly the digital industry but also policymakers, local authorities, youth workers, educators and family members
• awareness-raising among parents, caregivers and educators about the risks posed by the digital environment and the benefits of delaying or gradually introducing digital tools at an appropriate age
• media and digital literacy campaigns among children and adolescents, to help them develop greater resilience and deal with threats such as cyberbullying and online disinformation
• better design of digital products to promote safety and privacy, and protect young users from being manipulated or exposed to risks that impact their well-being and mental health
• enhancing reporting mechanisms to help combat online sexual exploitation and encourage adults, children and teenagers to report inappropriate behaviour or harmful content

Council conclusions on better protecting the mental health of children and teenagers in the digital era available here.